“Let’s go,” he says, taking my hand.
My eyes drop to observe his gesture.
“Alright?”
“I think so.”
He sighs with relief. “I swear that will be the only contact we have.”
God knows why, but his words leave me with a strange, bitter disappointment.
* * *
We gointo Flanagan’s on O’Connell Street. Ian gives his last name at the desk and the manager is all in a fluster when he realises who he has in front of him. I smile in embarrassment while Ian signs an autograph for him, then he informs us that our table will be ready in ten minutes and suggests we sit at the bar.
We sit on some stools that are way too high for me, so much so that I struggle to clamber on, while Ian sits calmly beside me with his feet resting comfortably on the ground.
How tall is this guy?
I order a glass of white wine while he gets something non-alcoholic, and we toast for no apparent reason. I swallow half a glass in one gulp under Ian’s watchful eyes, making me sit a little straighter.
“I don’t drink that much,” I say, feeling the need to justify myself.
“I wasn’t judging you.”
I set the glass on the counter. “I don’t have a problem.”
“I didn’t say you did.”
“Excuse me, sir, if you’d like to follow me…” the waiter interrupts us to escort us to our table. We bring our glasses with us.
“I’ll be back in a few minutes,” he adds, handing us the menu.
Ian thanks him and opens his as I stop to admire him. Intensely and persistently. I look at his hands, the tattoo on his wrist, the leather bracelet that wraps around it, his muscular arms and his powerful shoulders. His face, his full mouth, that sexy beard that…
“Something wrong?” he asks, waking me from my daze.
“Er, what’s that?”
“You were staring at me.”
“That’s not true,” I lie, gluing my eyes to the menu. Ian sets his menu on the table and crosses his arms over his chest.
“Weren’t we supposed to be honest with one another?”
Shit.
I also set the menu down and look at him sheepishly.
“You’re a really handsome guy.”
He laughs so heartily that everyone turns around to look at us.
“But now I think you’re a real, fucking…”
“Hey! Since when do you use these words?”
“Since I started hanging out with you,” I cross my arms too.
